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(No Modl.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. ECKERT.

WINDOW SHADE.

No. 541,346. u Patented June 18, 1895.

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J. BCKERT.

WINDOW SHADE.

No. 541,346. Patented June 18, 1895.

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J. ECKERT. I WINDOW SHADE.

No. 541,346. V Patented June 18, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ECKERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.y

WINDOW-SHADE.

ePEOIFGATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,346, dated June 18, 1 895. Application led December 19,1894. I Serial No. 532,317. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH ECKERT, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in YVindow-Shades, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in window shades, and itv has for its object to construct the shade of a series of strips or sections, each strip or sectionbeing capable of movement to or from an adjoining section, thus providing for spaces of greater or less extent between the sections for the admission of light, or for the purposegof looking out from the apartment, and whereby also the sections of the shade may -be adjusted so as to admit light and air without admitting the direct rays of the sun.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby all of the sections may be simultaneously manipulated, and the ma nipulation be accomplished in a simple, expeditious and convenient manner.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an inner side elevation of the improved shade. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the hangers for a section of the shade and a sectional view through the bearing for a hanger and the drum or roller carried by it. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the stop removed from the roller, of which it is toconstituteapart. Figlisasection through a portion of the said stop, illustrating the application of the latch or pawl thereto. Fig. 5 is a plan view of two of the sections of a shade or curtain, illustrating the sections as extending transversely across the windowframe, thereby admitting as much light and air as possible. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the sections as folded close one upon the other to exclude the light. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the sections of the shade when in the position shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view illustrating one of the brackets in side elevation and its support and the `roller carried thereby partially in section, `also illustrating a slight modification inthe mechanism for manipulating the pawl or latch. Fig. 9 is a partial front elevation of the window-frame, illustrating the application thereto of the bracket constructed as shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the improved latch or pawl.

In carrying out the invention a rod 10 is made to extend from side to side of the window frame at the top, said rod being journaled in the said frame in any suitable manner, and the rod is furthermore provided with a crank arm 10, preferably at or near one end, to which a cord, cable, chain or its equivalent 10b is attached. This rod is provided with a series of guides 11, projecting from one side, the said guides being preferably substantially Ushaped; and over each of the guides 11 a socket 12, is secured in the upper inner face of the Window frame, as shown in Fig. 2. In each of these sockets a hangeror bracket A is journaled, and each hanger or bracket is preferably made to consist of an upper vertical member 13, which enters a socket 12, being pivoted therein, and au upper horizontal member 14, a lower horizontal member 16 and a vertical member 15 connecting these two, the lower horizontal member 16 being ordinarily of much greater length than the upper horizontal member, as is clearly shown inthe said Fig. 2.

Each hanger or bracket is held normally so that it will practically overlap the other, which is accomplished by a spring 17 coiled around its upper member, or thatV contained in the socket 12. A drum or hollow roller B, is carried by the lower horizontal member of each hanger or bracket, each roller being made to contain a spring 1S. The roller is journaled on the bracket by causing the member 16 to pass through the head 19 in the roller at one end, and through a stop disk 20, which serves likewise as a head for what may be termed the inner end of the roller, or that end which is close to the connecting member 15 of the hanger. A

The spring 1S is secured to the head 19,and is coiled around the hanger and attached thereto, the tendency of the spring being to maintain a shade section C rolled up on the ICO The stop disk 2O is best'shown in Fig. 3, and

comprises a ring-like body or hub ct and a series of spurs a radiating from the body, the spurs being secured to the rollersby means ot' nails, screws, or other equivalent fastening devices, and one side of each spur at one of its edges is beveled, as shown at a2 in Figs. 3 and 4.

A pawl or latch 21 is pivotednpon the horizontal member 16 of-the hanger outside of and yet facing the stop disk 20; and the head 22 of the said pawl is adapted to enter the spaces between the spurs ct of the said disk and one side of the head ot' the pawl is provided with a concaved orbeveled surface 23, shown in Fig. 4, and this surface is opposite to and adapted to engagewith the beveled surface 0,2 of the said stop disk.

It will be observed that as the roller is rotated in one direction the spurs of the stop disk will readily slip by the head of the pawl 21, but the pawl prevents the roller while in engagement with it, from being turned in an .opposite direction. Therefore, while the section of the curtain may be drawn downward so as to be unrolled almost entirely from the roller with which it is connected, when the curtain sectionis to be rolled up entirely, or almost entirely, the said section is given a quick downward movement, which will throw the pawl out from the stop disk and permit the spring 18 in the roller to act sufficiently to wind the section tothe desired extent.

VThe pawl 21 is normally held in engagement with the stop disk by means of a spring 24, and a guide 25, is pivoted upon the upper horizontal member of each hanger orbracket A, the said guides being made to drop and extend downward under the stationary U- shaped guide rods 1l. lA bar 26 serves to connect all of the hangers A, the said bar being pivotally connected with and being made to extend across the upper horizontal member of the various hangers; and a link 27, is connected with an end hanger and with a cable or cord 28, the said cord or cable being made to pass over guide rollers 29 and 30 downward to a suitable button 31, usually placed on one side of the window frame, the lower end of the cable or cord being provided with open links or loops 3l, as is best shown in Fig. l, in order that they may receive the button 31.

At the lower end ot' each shade section C a strip 32 of a stit material is secured in any approved manner, constituting the bottom rail of the curtain or shade,.and these bottom rails are connected at both ends by an outer longitudinal bar 33 and an inner parallel bar 34, both of these bars being pivotally attached to the -said sections of the shade, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

In operation, by manipulating the cable 28 the various shade sections and their rollers may be carried at any desired angle relativeto the upper rod l0; that is to say, the sections may be made to stand more or less diagonally across the window opening and yet spaced apart, or they may stand at a right angle to the said rod, as shown in Fig. 5, in which position the edges of the shade sections will be presented to the street and to the room, the sections being held in any position in which they may be placed by means of the buttons 31 and the links or loops 3N. The moment that the cord or cable 28 is left free, the springs controlling thebrackets will carry said brackets to a position whereby one bracket will substantially overlap the other, as shown in Fig. G, bringing the shade sections to the same position, and consequently stopping the admission of light, thus obtaining from a sectional shade all the advantages attainable from a one-piece shade.

When desired the shade may be held in a position where it will completely cover the window by attaching for example to the bottom of the end sections eyes 35, to receive hooks 36 secured to the window sill, as shown in Fig. l, the shadebeing thus prevented from accidentally winding upon its rollers, or it may be turned in order to present more or less of an opening for the entrance of air and light.

When the lower portion of the shade is disconnected from the lower portion of the window frame, and the crank arm 10n is drawn downward, the various guide rods l1 will strike against the arms 25 and press the inner ends of said rods downward, and they being pivoted to the springs 2l, which in their turn are connected with the pawls 21, will disconnect the latter from the disks 20, and all of the springs18 of the drums 19, will act at once to wind upon them the various shade sections C.

In Figs. 8, 9 and l0, I have illustrated a slight modification in the construction of the window shade drum-controlling device, and in said figures it will be observed that upon each bracket A a lever 37 is, fulc'rumed at or near its center, which is engaged by the uuder face of a guide 11 located upon the rock shaft 10, and eachlever 37 has pivotally con? nected to what may be termed its outer end, a rod 38, and this rod is passed through a slot 39 formed in a pawl 40 corresponding to the aforesaid pawl 21, and the lower end of the rod, which loosely passes through the aperture 39, is provided withan enlargement 41 upon its lower end. The modified form of the pawl 40 consists of a flat body having ears 42 projected upward from it, the head being the same as the pawl 21 heretofore described. Thus it will be observed that when the guides 11 are pressed downward by manipulating the crank arm 10a, the outer end of the lever 37 t will be elevated, and the pawls 40 will be raised and carried out of engagement with their disks 20; and when the levers 37 are inactive the said rods 38 remain in side engagement with the pawls.

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Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a window shade, a series of rollers, a shade constructed in sections each section being attached to a roller, and means, substantially as described, for shifting the roller and shade sections, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a window shade, the combination, with pivoted hangers and rollers carried by said hangers, the hangers being so located that adjoining hangers may substantially overlap, of a shade constructed in strips or sections, a strip or section being secured to each of the hangers, a bar pivotally connecting all of the hangers, and guide bars pivotally connecting the lower ends of the shade sections, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a window shade, the combination, with pivoted hangers, rollers carried by the said hangers, locking devices connected with the rollers, levers connected with the locking devices, and a rock shaft adapted to operate all of the said locking devices, of a shade constructed in strips or sections, a strip or section being secured to each of the rollers, abar pivotallyconnecting all of thehangers, and guide bars pivotally connecting the lower ends of the shade sections, as and for the purpose specified. y

4. In awindow shade, the combination, with spring-controlled hangers, the hangers being pivoted and held normally by their springs in a position to enable them to substantially overlap, and a spring roller mounted upon each hanger, of a shade constructed in strips or sections, a strip or section being secured to each spring roller, connecting bars uniting the hangers, a set of connecting bars uniting" the lower ends of the shade sections, azcord, guides for the cord,said cord being connected with one of the hangers, and means, substantially as described, for securing the free end of the cord as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a window shade the combination of a 6. In a window shade the combination of a series of pivoted hangers adapted to swing in a horizontal plane, shade rollers mounted on the hangers, shades attached to the shade rollers and adapted to be wound thereon, said shades lbeing provided with locking devices adapted for independent operation and means for simultaneously actuating said locking devices, substantially as set'forth.

7. In a window shade the combination of a series of pivoted hangers adapted to swing in a horizontal plane, shade rollers mounted on the hangers, shades attached to and adapted to be wound on the rollers, means for simul taneously swinging the pivoted hangers, substantially as set forth.

8. In a window shade the combination of a series of pivoted hangers adapted to Swingin a horizontal plane, shade rollers mounted on the hangers, shades attached to and adapted to be wound on the rollers, means for simultaneously swinging the pivoted hangers and locking devices for the shades adapted for independent and simultaneous operation, substantially as set forth.

9. In a window shade, the combination of av series of independent shade rollers, shades on the rollers, locking devices for the shades and a bar detachably connected to the lower parts of the respective shades, substantially as set forth.

10. In a window shade, the combination of a socket a hanger having a journal adapted to t said socket and having its body arranged to swing at right angles to the said journal, a shade roller mounted on the body of the hanger and extending in a plane parallel with the plane in which the hanger swings and a shade attached to and adapted to be Wound on the roller, substantially as set forth.

l1. In a window shade, the combination of asocket a hanger having a journal to fit said socket and having its body arranged to swing at right angles to the journal, a tubular shade 'roller mounted to rotate on the body of thev hanger, a spring in the hollow of the roller connected at one end to the hanger and at the other end to the roller and a locking device carried by the hanger to engage and holdl the roller against rotation, substantially as set forth. Y.

YJOSEPH ECKERT.

Vitnesses S. DUBRoW, v J. PATHENHEIMER, Jr.

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